Scott names hospital study commission members

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TALLAHASSEE

Carlos Beruff, a developer from Manatee County, will be the chairman of Gov. Rick Scott’s newly formed Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding, a panel designed to investigate medical costs and hospital finances.

Carlos Beruff

Carlos Beruff (Herald-Tribune archive)

Beruff was a major backer of Scott’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign, donating about $100,000.

Beruff, who is also an appointee to the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, was one of nine members named by Scott on Monday to the commission, which meets for the first time on May 20 in Tallahassee.

Liz Dudek, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the state Medicaid program, and Surgeon General John Armstrong, who leads the state Department of Health, will serve as co-executive directors of the commission.

The commission is expected to offer some guidance to state lawmakers who return to Tallahassee for a 20-day special session on June 1 to pass a new state budget and resolve the question of a $2.2 billion hospital funding program.

Scott, a former health care executive, has already suggested the commission look at plan for “profit sharing” among the Florida hospitals to help financially struggling facilities.

Although several lawmakers, including Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, asked to be named to the commission, none are on the list appointees released Monday. Like Beruff, most of the members have little direct experience in health care fields.

Here are the other members:
• Chip Diehl, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general from Tampa.

• Marili Cancio Johnson, a Key Biscayne attorney and a member of the Miami-Dade College Board of Trustees.
• Tom Kuntz, a member of the Florida Board of Governors, who oversee the state university system, and a former executive at Suntrust Bank. He will serve vice chairman of the commission.
• Eugene Lamb Jr., a former Gadsden County commissioner from Midway who has served on the Tallahassee Community College Board of Trustees.
• Jason Rosenburg, a reconstructive microsurgeon from Gainesville and a former chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine.
• Ken Smith, owner of Integrated Beef Consultants from Estero and a member of the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees.
• Sam Seevers, a small business owner and a former mayor and City Council member from Destin.
• Robert Spottswood, an attorney and accountant from Key West who is president of Spottswood Cos.

EARLIER: Gov. Rick Scott today named nine members to his new Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding, which is designed to investigate health care costs and hospital finances.

Carlos Beruff, a homebuilder from Parrish who is a member of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, will serve as the commission chairman.

Liz Dudek, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, and Surgeon General John Armstrong will serve as co-executive directors.

The commission’s first meeting will be May 20. The commission is expected to offer some guidance to state lawmakers who return to Tallahassee for a 20-day special session on June 1 to pass a new state budget and resolve the question of a $2.2 billion hospital funding program.

Scott, a former health care executive, has already suggested the commission look at a plan for “profit sharing” among the Florida hospitals to help financially struggling facilities.

Here is Scott’s release with all of the commission members:

Today, Governor Rick Scott appointed nine Floridians to serve on the newly formed Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding. Last week, the Governor signed Executive Order 15-99 creating the Commission and tasking it to investigate the role of taxpayer funding for hospitals, insurers, and healthcare providers.

The following people were appointed today:

Carlos Beruff, of Parrish, is a member of the South Florida Water Management District, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and is the President of Medallion Homes. Mr. Beruff will serve as Chair of the Commission.

General Chip Diehl , of Tampa, is a retired Brigadier General United States Air Force and is a member of the Florida Defense Support Task Force.

Marili Cancio Johnson , of Key Biscayne, is a member of the Miami-Dade College Board of Trustees and is the principle of Marili Cancio Johnson PA.

Tom Kuntz, of Winter Park, is a former executive at Suntrust Bank and a current member of the Florida Board of Governors. Mr. Kuntz will serve as Vice Chair of the Commission Eugene Lamb, Jr., of Midway, served on the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners from 2004-2012 and is a past Chair of the Tallahassee Community College Board of Trustees.

Dr. Jason Rosenburg, of Gainesville, is a reconstructive microsurgeon and a former Chair of the Florida Board of Medicine.

Dr. Ken Smith, of Estero, is the owner of Integrated Beef Consultants and a member of the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees.

Sam Seevers, of Destin, is a small business owner and a former Mayor and City Council Member of Destin.

Robert Spottswood, of Key West, is a certified public accountant and an attorney. He is the President and Director of Spottswood Companies.

The Governor also named AHCA Secretary Liz Dudek and Surgeon General John Armstrong as co-executive directors of the Commission. The first meeting of the Commission will take place in Tallahassee on May 20th.

 

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Lloyd Dunkelberger

Lloyd Dunkelberger is the Htpolitics.com Capital Bureau Chief. He can be reached by email or call 850 556-3542. ""More Dunkelberger" Make sure to "Like" HT Politics on Facebook for all your breaking political news.
Last modified: May 11, 2015
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